Williams Riverboat Gambler

Price: $2,795.00 - SOLD - Manufacturer: Williams Date Produced: October, 1990 # of Players: 1 to 4 Units Produced: 3,100 Design/Concept: Ward Pemberton Art: Linda Deal, Pat McMahon Music/Audio: Paul Heitsch, Dan Forden, Mark Ritchie Software: Dwight Sullivan TRIVIA: Riverboat Gambler was the last of the "System 11" games produced by Williams, which started in 1986 with High Speed. These games featured the "System 11" MPU board system, including evolutions- System 11A, B, and C. After Riverboat Gambler, Williams moved on to their more modern "WPC" pinball system, with Funhouse being the first game to feature the WPC system.

Page Contents:

1. Game Description
2. Game Condition Details
3. Game Images
4. Game Sales Information

• We have logged just over 40 hours in the restoration of this game.
• Playfield top and bottom surfaces stripped of parts and assemblies for proper cleaning- right down to the bare wood and paint. Playfield surface hand cleaned and polished.
• All playfield parts have been removed and hand cleaned, or replaced with brand new parts where necessary or available. This includes light bulbs, posts, ramps, wireform ball guides, flipper assemblies, under-playfield assemblies, target banks, bumper assemblies, lamp PC boards, ball trough and associated parts, and any other parts that are installed on the playfield.
• All metal parts removed from playfield have been hand cleaned and polished for original bright shiny finish.
• Stainless steel ball guides have been cleaned and refinished to restore original "grain" to the metal, and remove all unsightly ball marks. They once again look brand new!
• All ramps have been completely removed and fully disassembled into all of their individual parts, including having wiring harnesses and switches/plugs cleaned and properly adjusted.
• All playfield plastic posts removed and cleaned by hand with detergent and brush to remove any wax, dirt, grime, or leftover cleaner. Damaged or cracked posts replaced with brand new posts.
• All pop bumper assemblies on this game were removed, 100% disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. Any worn or broken parts replaced with brand new parts.
• Flipper assemblies completely removed, 100% disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt with brand new factory-original parts, and reassembled. Flippers tuned and adjusted for reliability and performance.
• Brand new rubber ring kit installed on playfield.
• All light bulbs on top and bottom of playfield, and elsewhere in game, removed, cleaned, and replaced. Brand new light bulbs used as replacements for old worn, discolored, or burned out bulbs and flasher bulbs.
• All light bulb inserts (or "lenses") in playfield surface cleaned and polished for maximum shine and light penetration.
• Brand new chrome steel pinballs installed in game (game uses THREE balls total).
• Center target bank plastic has been replaced with brand new piece, with fender washers added under edges of plastic to help protect against damage from airborne pinballs.
• Fender washers installed under top and bottom edges of slingshot bumper plastics to protect them from cracking/breaking from airborne balls.
• Score and instruction cards have both been reproduced for clean clear looks, and hard-laminated for durability, and to prevent against damage in the future- these look great!
• Both slingshot bumper assemblies have had their kicker arms and kicker arm pivots removed and fully cleaned and replaced. Detector switches on both bumpers removed and hand-cleaned with tarnish remover for nice bright brass shine!
• Inside and outside of main cabinet and backbox completely stripped of parts, cleaned, parts individually hand cleaned, and reassembled.
• Coin door completely removed and 100% disassembled. All parts (including wiring harness and switches) individually cleaned and detailed by hand and reassembled. Coin door metal parts professionally repainted and refinished for that brand new "day one" look! Fully working quarter coin mechanisms installed in coin door and tested for proper operation/adjustment.
• Playfield glass lockdown bar and latch assembly cleaned, and overhauled, including roulette wheel buttons mounted on lockdown bar. New decal for number of balls installed on latch assembly. Brand new strip of insulating foam rubber applied to underside of lockdown bar.
• Legs removed and cleaned to restore original shine and appearance.
• Brand new leg levelers and nuts installed on all four legs.
• Leg bolts replaced with brand new shiny bolts (8 total).
• Cabinet nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches touched up where necessary.
• Solder joints on light bulb PC boards under playfield all reflowed and reinforced with fresh solder to prevent cracks and intermittent operation in the future.
• All electronics (PC boards) in backbox checked and tested for proper operation and good looks (no burned connectors, etc.) Fuses all removed, checked, and proper values verified- replaced where necessary.
• New rectifier and filter capacitor installed on power supply board for cleaner power and added reliability.
• Remote-mount battery holder with quick-disconnect installed for MPU board in backbox (See image below). This prevents damage to the valuable MPU board from accidental battery discharge or leakage, which can destroy the board. Batteries are now mounted off-board and risk of damage is eliminated. Brand new fresh batteries installed.
• Playfield glass replaced with brand new scratch-free sheet of tempered safety glass.
• Backglass translite (artwork) removed and glass cleaned/polished (both sides). All lamps on insert panel behind glass cleaned or replaced. Insert panel cleaned. Glass molding pieces cleaned and reassembled.
• Reinforcing bracket added to playfield under front end of shooter lane for added strength and durability.
• New drop targets installed along with new drop target decals.
• Ball shooter rebuilt with new parts including springs, sleeve, e-clip and rubber tip.

• Center drop target bank plastic.
• Ball drop mylar installed under exit from upper ramp.
• New light bulbs replaced throughout game.
• Ball shooter lane reinforcing bracket added for extra strength to playfield.
• New playfield hardware installed to restore original factory appearance, including playfield nuts, screws, washers, pop bumper screws, ramp entrance screws, and other hardware items.
• New coil sleeves installed in playfield devices including bumpers, flippers, kickers, and more.
• New flipper rebuild kit installed to rebuild both flippers with brand new parts.
• New drop targets installed as required.
• New drop target decal set installed.
• New roulette wheel diverter coil installed.
• New roulette wheel diverter coil spring installed.
• New wiring connector header pins and connector housings installed to replace worn or overheated connectors from past use. New heavy-duty Trifurcon pins used for added reliability.
• New ball shooter rebuild kit installed.
• New heavy-duty upgraded rectifier and filter capacitor installed on power supply to provide cleaner, more reliable power, and add reliability.
• New remote-mount battery holder with quick disconnect and fresh batteries installed for MPU board memory backup.
• New nylon standoffs installed to support score display tubes.
• New hard-laminated score and instruction cards installed under glass.
• New sheet of tempered safety glass installed over playfield.
• New chrome steel pin balls installed in game (game uses 3 balls total).
• New coin door lock and keys on front door to keep game secure.
• New leg levelers installed on all 4 legs, with adjustment nuts and new leg bolts.
• New leg bolts installed on all 4 legs.
• New foam rubber strip for lockdown bar on front of game.
• ROM Chips upgraded to latest available software release- game roms, sound roms, and speech roms.

• Protective fender washers added under top and bottom edges of slingshot plastics and various other playfield plastics to protect against damage from airborne pinballs.
• Remote-mount battery kit added to MPU board in backbox to relocate batteries and prevent against damage to the valuable MPU board, should batteries go neglected and leak in the future. (See images below.)
• Game, sound, and speech ROM chips all upgraded to latest available revision of software, for best game operation and performance.
• New score and instruction cards hard-laminated and installed on holder under glass.

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Game Images:

Playfield:

Thumbnail (Click for larger view)	Description
	Playfield- overall, finished view.
	Detail- lower playfield- flippers area. Note how well the playfield's original artwork, colors, and finish have been preserved on this game. This is due mostly to the factory-installed Mylar covering that was put on the playfield when it was manufactured. Most games didn't receive this Mylar, and tend to develop a lot of signs of wear and tear on the finish. But this particular game has been preserved extremely well. Note the brand new hard-laminated score and instruction card set that have been installed on the card holder. A few light scratches are present in the center of the card holder over the Riverboat Gambler logo, probably from the removal of an operator's label or tax label that was installed on the game in the past.
	Detail- right side of playfield. Right slingshot bumper, bottom portion of roulette wheel ramp, and blue target bank seen here. Note the protective metal fender washers that have been installed under the top and bottom edges of the slingshot bumper plastics (both sides) for added protection against airborne pinballs.
	Detail- left side of playfield. Left drop target bank, left slingshot bumper, and end of left ramp seen here. Note the brand new drop target decals that have been installed on the drop targets (both left and center banks) to restore the original look and appearance.
	Detail- center/right playfield. Center drop target bank features new drop target decals and brand new plastic atop. Note also the protective fender washers installed under the corners to help protect this plastic from damage from airborne pinballs. Pop bumpers, right ramp entrance, and roulette wheel ramp are also seen here.
	Detail- upper left corner. Blackjack lane, slot machine ramp and plastic, upper combo ramp and pop bumpers all seen here. One tiny spot of wear is present at the top of the blackjack lane where the ball comes in contact with the target there. Playfield mylar does not extend to this area so it has been more susceptible to developing some signs of used from previous years of play. Very inconspicuous as this area is rather well hidden under the ramp.
	Detail- upper right corner. Combo ramp along with the skill shot lane are seen here. Combo ramp on this game is original and in superb shape with no obvious defects, cracks, breaks, or any other damage- very well-preserved.
	Detail- center target bank area.
	Under-playfield view. Lower section of playfield seen here, including fully rebuilt flipper mechanisms, ball trough assembly and parts, and slingshot kicker units. Note the cleanliness of the playfield- even on the bottom side. All components seen here were fully removed during the restoration processed so everything could be properly cleaned and reconditioned- no stone left unturned.
	Under playfield- upper portion of playfield.

Cabinet/Backbox:

Thumbnail (Click for larger view)	Description
	Overall view.
	Right side of main cabinet. Fantastic condition on this game's cabinet- all around. Like all parts on this game, the cabinet has also been extremely well-preserved and still retains much of a "like new" appearance to it, with very few signs of past use and no signs of any fading of the artwork colors. A few small nicks and scuffs from previous use/handling have been touched up here and there in various spots- mostly on the cabinet edges in the solid black areas- and are inconspicuous.
	Left side of main cabinet.
	Right side of backbox.
	Backbox left side.
	Backbox front view.
	Main cabinet front side, coin door.
	Main cabinet interior. Note the cleanliness of even the inside of the game- all components and parts inside the cabinet were removed and cleaned during the restoration. Interior sides of cabinet were repainted with fresh coat of semi-gloss black enamel paint, to restore original factory appearance.
	Cabinet interior- front end.
	Backglass translite- rear view. Translite has been preserved extremely well on this game and shows no signs of scratches, chips, scuffs, or other damage from use/handling over the years.
	Backbox insert panel, roulette wheel, and displays.
	Backbox interior. Note remote-mount battery kit installed. This gets the three "AA" batteries off the valuable MPU board, and relocates them "off-board", and prevents potential damage to the MPU board, should the batteries ever be neglected to the point where they burst and leak (common problem in all pinball machines from 1977 to present). Quick-disconnect connector allows battery pack to be disconnected, should MPU board ever need to be removed from the game. We also include two battery "tags" inside the main cabinet, and in backbox (shown in image at left) which indicate the last date that the batteries were changed, and how/when to change them in the future.

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Like all pinballs we sell, this machine also comes complete with fully functional coin door & mechanisms with all parts present and working, and full game manual and schematics (wiring diagrams) for this game.

For our local customers, game sale includes